1 6 EuphorbiacecB. [Sauropus. 



7. SAUROPUS, Bl. 



Shrubs ; fl. small, monoecious (or dioecious ?), mono- 

 dichlamydeous, axillary; male fl. : — perianth-tube either large 

 and dilated with 6 very short segm., or short with long scgm.; 

 stam. 3, fil. connate into a short flat-topped column, anth. 

 sessile; pistillode o; fem. fl,: — per.-segments 6, nearly dis- 

 tinct, persistent and enlarged in fruit; ov. pear-shaped, 

 truncate or hollowed on top, 3-celled, with 2 ovules in each, 

 cell, styles 3, bifid; fr. fleshy but dehiscent, with 6 crus- 

 taceous cocci; seeds 6, endosperm fleshy, cotyledons broad, 

 flat. — Sp. about 20; 15 in FL B. Ind. 



L. over i in. 



Per.-segm. broad, flat, very short. 



Per. of male fl. flattened and disciform . . i. vS. ALBICANS. 



Per. of male fl. everted and reflexed . . . 2. S. RETROVERSA. 



Per.-segm. long, linear, fleshy . . . . 3. S. assimilis. 



L. under i in 4. S. rigidus. 



1. S. albicans, Bl. Bijd. 596 (1825). nxella-dum-kola, S. 



S. Gardncriajius, Wight, Ic. vi. 6 ; Thw. Enum. 284. S. zeylanicus. 

 Wight, I.e. C. P. 2146. 



Y\. B. Ind. V. 332. Wight, Ic. t. 195 1, fig. 2 {S. Gardnerianus), and 

 t. 1952 {S. zeyla7ncus and .i'. induus). 



A small shrub with many elongated smooth green 

 branches; 1. on very short petioles, i\-2\ in., ovate-lanceolate 

 or ovate, obtuse at base, acute, entire, thin, pale green, 

 whitish beneath; stip. minute, acicular; fl. on long pod., male 

 in small clusters, fem. solitary, drooping; male fl. : — per.-tube 

 large, contracted at mouth, much flattened, so as to be dis- 

 ciform, thickened, segm. very short ; fem. fl. : — per.-segm. 

 rounded, style-arms recurved; fr. rather large, about 4 in. 

 diam., pendulous, globose, fleshy; seeds hard, black. 



Moist region, 2-5000 ft. ; rather common. Fl. April-Aug. ; yellowish- 

 green. 



Travancore, E. Bengal, Burma, Malaya, Philippine Is. 



The rather large pendulous fruit is pale whitish or yellowish-green. 



When dried, the plant has the scent of celery. 



2. S. retroversua, Wis^ht., Ic. vi. 6 (1853). 

 Thw. Enum. 284. C' P. 3134. 



Fl. B. Ind. v. 333. Wight, Ic. t. 195 1. f. i. 



Very like S. albicans, but differs in the perianth of the 

 male fl. being completely everted and reflexed, so as to 

 appear pileate with the stam. -column on its summit, lobes 

 (at base) very short, tooth-like, 6 or 12; fem. fl. as in .S". 

 alhicaiis ; fr. (ex Thwaites) i in., pyriform, white. 



